The stand of the saints - Chambers, Oswald
Ephesians 6:1120
Put on the whole armour of god. . . . And, having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:11, 13
Paul is writing from prison; he knows all about the roman soldier whose armour he is describing, for he was chained to one of them. I am an ambassador in chains (RV ) he says. These verses are not a picture of how to fight, but of how not to fight. If you have not put on the armour, you will have to fight; but having put on the whole armour of god, then stand, says Paul. There are times when gods servants are sent out to attack, to storm the citadel, but the counsel given here is as to how we are to hold the position which has been gained. We need to learn this conservation of energy, having done all, to stand, manifesting the full power of god.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood if we do, we are out of it; our warfare is against the spiritual hosts of wickedness (RV ) which the world does not see. We are apt to forget that the enemy is unseen and that he is supernatural (cf. Daniel 10:12 13). Dont make any mistake, says paul, you are not wrestling against flesh and blood, you are wrestling against tremendous powers you will never be able to withstand unless you put on the whole armour of god. When you see men doing terrible things, remember you are not wrestling against them, they are the cats-paw of the rulers of the darkness of this world. We are to be taken up with a much more difficult wrestling, viz. , the wrestling against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places which prevent us from seeing god. If Satan in his malice and cunning can slander god to his own chil- dren, he will do it because that is his whole aim. Our wrestling is to be against the thoughts suggested to our mind which press down on us and make us say, what is the good of asking god to bring peace to a brokenhearted woman? Of asking god to sustain people whose lives are ruined? If i try to describe to my own heart a bereaved home and let the sorrow of it weigh with me, instantly my faith in god is gone;
I am so overcome with sympathy and fellow-feeling for them that my prayer is nothing more than a wail of sympathy before god. The telepathic influence of my mind on another, whether i speak or not, is so subtle that the prince of this world will use it to prevent my getting hold of god; whereas if i remain confident in god i lift the weight off lives in a way i shall never realise till i stand before him. We have to pray that the enemy shall not exact upon the hearts and minds of gods children and make them slander him by worry and anxiety. As the lords remem- brancers we are to hold off the exactings of satan, not add to them. Do i expect god to answer prayer? The first thing that will stagger our faith in god is the false sentiment arising out of a sympathetic apprehension of the difficulties. Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto god for him (rv): the church prayed, and god did the impossible thing, and peter was delivered. We have to pray with our eyes on god, not on the difficulties.
Praying always . . . For all saints. It is not always a time of triumph; there are not only times of taking strongholds by storm, but times when spiritual darkness falls, when the great powers in the heaven lies are at work, when no one understands the wiles of Satan but god; at such times we have to stand steadily shoulder to shoulder for god. How often the spirit of god emphasises the togetherness of the saints!
And for me, says paul. Prayer is gods ordained way, the insignificant way of prayer.